The invention relates to a fishing rod that has lighted tip as well as to the process of converting of a conventional, unlit fishing rod into the lighted fishing rod according to the invention.
It is an object of the invention to provide a lighted fishing rod in which the lighting system is substantially waterproofed within suitable interior spaces within the fishing rod.
It is an alternate object of the invention to mount a switch for the lighting system behind a waterproof barrier such that actuation of the switch is achieved by digitally pressing against the waterproof barrier.
It is another object of the invention to situate the light producing device such as an LED or the like within the body of the rod tip for maximum visual feedback of the absence or presence of vibrations at the rod tip.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide sealed access to the batteries for the lighting system consistent with the other waterproofing objects of the invention.
These and other aspects and objects are provided according to the invention in a fishing rod that has a hollow shaft extending between an open tip end and an open base end, a tip on the tip end supporting an end eyelet off the shaft and having a body, a tubular reel seat assembly disposed telescoped on the shaft from the base end and slid up the shaft to leave a short extension of the base of the shaft exposed, a tubular handle assembly extending between a forward end and a butt end and disposed telescoped on the shaft from the base end such that the forward end is slid up generally to the reel seat assembly, and having a flexible membrane sealing the butt end; and a lighting system mounted substantially waterproof inside interior spaces of the lighted fishing rod, and comprising an LED lamp, a battery and battery holder, a push-to-ON/push-to-OFF switch, and conductors arranged to complete a circuit thereamong. Wherein, the body of the tip is formed with a socket for telescoping over the tip end of the shaft, the body also being formed with a compartment in communication with the socket and in which is potted the LED such that terminals of the LED extend toward the socket to allow conductors passing out the tip end of the shaft to connect to said terminals. And also, the switch is mounted in the handle assembly in such close proximity to the flexible membrane such that a user actuates the switch by digitally flexing the membrane whereby illumination of the LED gives an observer visual feedback of the absence or presence of movement of the tip including during low light levels or darkness.
A number of additional features and objects will be apparent in connection with the following discussion of preferred embodiments and examples.